If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

please help!!computer apps for project drawings

hey guys i was wondering if anyone new of a computer program that will allow you to draw up isometric views of what i'm trying to build. i'm guessing something like autocad but i'm not sure. i'm planning on building an end table out of some scrap 304 stainless flatstrap and pipe, more just out of boredom than necessity. i can draw it up isometrically on paper and to scale but i have no way of posting my drawings here for some feedback. i would really like to be able to draw the same thing on the computer as i can on paper. if anyone knows of a good app i would appreciate some help. name of the program and maybe the cost would be great. thanks and have a great and safe 4th.

i'm all for having fun and have every intention of doin just that, the material is free and limited though. so basically i'm only goin to have one shot without having to spend any money. so if possible i'd like some input before i finalize any plans, the layout isn't the issue. i'll try that google sketch-up. thank you, i appreciate it

A good, easy to learn, 3D program is Sketchup and it's available as a download from Google for free. If you watch 15 minutes of tutorials on it you will be able to use it for most of the basic needs, and then you can watch more tutorials to get better from there. It's one of my favorites.

Just do a Google search for Sketchup and download it. Watch a few tutorials that you will also find with the above search or go to Utube and search for Sketchup. You will be drawing in 2D and 3D in no time.

Charley

Last edited by CharleyL; 07-06-2011 at 10:23 AM.
Reason: Added last paragraph

An accurate drawing is the starting point for most commerial projects.
A hand drawn drawing is just as precise as a cad drawn drawing.
Learning cad takes a long time if we are talking about autocad as it was made to draw everything and thus has every type of command. Sometimes the commands are hard to find or work out how to use. Autocad is digital hand drawing as every line must be drawn. The attached drawing was drawn using Microsoft Visio which is another great drawing program. Sketch up is easy to use just as Revit is and Archicad. The big thing is to get one and start spending quite a bit of time in front of your screen.
You need to find out how to get the cad to draw in a scale you require and how to print off so the print is to scale. Very basic but can be a handful at the begining.

I've downloaded Apperson's Cad Std, its a free download for the basic version and about $50 (CDN) for the pro version and have spent some time with it, nice for
2D stuff. If you don't have any intentions to do cut paths and stuff for CNC mills it is fully exportable and importable in DXF and DWG. I have even sent files off to be laser cut and they were all ready for the machine when i sent them. It also has a tutorial and a scale asistant to set up your drawings. Pretty cool for free.